Knitting Passion

Opened the mail box Monday to find . . . pressies! I lurve pressies!

You will recognize those as the goodies I won during the Boob Haha auctions - you will, if you went over to view said auctions, that is. And, if you do NOT recognize them . . . where have you been?

Thank you, Robin and Wendy for the fun - and to Julie (who donated the photo) and Angie (who donated the bag) for the goodies.

It is not too late for you all to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer. Wendy only needs $57 more to make her goal of $5000!!! AND - bonus - she’ll shave her head! Go quickly - go now - make your donation. Thank YOU!

If you cannot find someone close to you who is doing a special event (like the 3-day walks) you can make a donation directly to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

My donations to Wendy’s 3-day were made in memory of my Aunt Mickey and my cousin Marsha. I didn’t know my cousin very well, but I remember my aunt fondly. She lived in Arizona and my Mom, sister and I lived in Ohio. One day my aunt blew into town in a little roadster of some sort and told my mom to pack a bag - she was taking her back to AZ with her for awhile. I was so thrilled - because my Mom never did stuff like that.

Aunt Mickey probably knew she did not have much longer to live - she died the following year (1972 - my Mom died in 1973). She had received many experimental treatments for breast cancer - had all of her “female organs” (as they used to say) removed - the treatments had turned her skin black. She came to Ohio State University Hospitals for her treatments.

I was blessed to know her and so I am blessed to give in her memory.

While I did not know Marsha well, her mother is my namesake. She was my mother’s youngest sister and is the last of the family living. So, while I make donations in memory of my cousin, they are in honor of an aunt I love muchly.

What does all this have to do with knitting? Well - the felted bag is knitted - but if I can knit together hearts and minds, then that is all the better.

p.s. - hmmm - forgot to push “publish” last night, so of course this did not show up on time. Sorry about that - my two faithful readers.

boobhaha, susan g komen, breast cancer, 3 day, charity, knitting, felted bag

Okay - so the big frogging took place a couple of days ago - right down to the red rows - and here is the progress as of Sunday afternoon:

The color is not 100%, but you get the general idea - this, of course, is before being stitched up the sides and before felting. That will happen sometime this week.

I’m working on the “double I cord” handle at the moment:

It’s supposed to be 55 inches long - so I have a ways to go yet. This may be what goes to anchortown with hubby and me Tuesday. And, in case boredom sets in, I’ll take along some mini socks, too, to work on.

The two problems I’ve had concern yarn colors. As you can see, maybe, from the picture - the reds are too close in color - there isn’t enough difference to make it look more 3 dimensional. Also, my blue is not a turquoise like shown in the picture. So, that’s kind of a bummer. But, nevertheless, I’m pretty sure that Lessa will enjoy it - come Christmas. (hahaha)

I’m writing this in the late afternoon Sunday - hubby is out riding his motorcycle in the gorgeous sunshine. I’m a wee bit jealous - both of my bikes were sold earlier this year. Sigh. Ah, well!

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

karin slaughter, felted bag, knitting contest, jeffry dahmer bag, watching survivor, wathcing rachael ray, big brother craze, lessa

Happy Saturday, everyone - here’s a bonus post!

Today is a lazy, crazy day - hubby worked two back to back overnight shifts as an awake night staff person for a local non-profit. That means he usually sleeps through the day while I putter about. Not so today. I didn’t sleep well either night so it caught up with me, too.

Fortunately for me - nobody caught me napping. Unfortunately for him - I did. Heh!

After I put a load of laundry in, I sat down to read for a few minutes - woke up two hours later. I am thinking that our chairs might be a bit too soft!???!

Alaska daylight is slipping away from us quickly. The nights are darker and getting a bit cooler. The fireweed has begun its death-knell, summer-ending climb toward the tops of the stems and the bears are foraging for salmon - either in the rivers or in the freezers left on back doorsteps.

All this can only mean ONE thing - school is closely approaching. We know this, too, from the sales ads in the papers.

My back to school days are long gone - as are those of my daughters. However, I do have grandchildren (6 of whom will be in big school [one is a sophomore this year - yikes!] and the last one who will be in head start this year). So, I was tickled to find this post at Creative Mom Cafe.

If you have little ones who are dreading going back to school - or fearful over going for their first time - be sure to check out this post on a preparation activity. I think you and your little ones will enjoy it.

In the meantime - a fresh haircut is in order for me this afternoon and then hubby and I (both well rested) will pick up the youngest granddaughter for her shopping trip. One grandchild per week gets to go shopping with us and, more importantly, is allowed to pick out a toy. In the case of the oldest granddaughter, who is more practical it seems, the “toy” is often a new pair of shoes or pillow or somesuch that she is craving.

Did you all hear the giant rrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiippppppppppppppping sound a little while ago? Yes, I did the froggy routine - Rippit! (thus the title of this post)

Just didn’t like the way the yarn lay after being carried across. So, as much as I dislike the idea of several balls/bobbins of yarn, it would appear that is the way I am going to go from here on out. Carrying across the black or the red just made the stitches bunchy and too loose. I’m afraid that even felting wouldn’t cure it - so - riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiippppppppppppppppp!!!

Sad - and, yet . . . there is something cathartic about ripping, isn’t there?

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! After today’s work I have the following 4 days off - taking hubby to anchortown Tuesday to have his eyes evaluated for a possible upcoming cataract surgery - actually TWO of them. If all goes well with the first eye, they will do the second eye the following day. The surgeries will be in August. Tuesday is just the evaluation visit.

And, of course, I am extremely busy at work. But, hey, what else is new, right? Right!

Knitting is the perfect craft to carry into doctors’ offices. Compact and easy to tote. Yup - the needles and yarn will also make a trip to anchortown.

As I said, have a lovely weekend.
><

knitting, rippit, ripping, starting over, cataract surgery

Look, Lessa!

Yup - it’s coming along. Tomorrow I will be starting on the bottom of the dagger.

The toughest thing, of course, is the color changing. I am trying to keep the yarn loose enough that it won’t pull across - and still, tight enough so the changes won’t show. I comfort myself with the fact that this will be felted and that always cures a hundred thousand ills - or so I say.

Heh.

This is giving me a break from the mini socks - I haven’t sent them off yet - keep making just one more - okay two - okay three. I’ve lost count now.

I’m also making some in Christmasy colors to give to my coworkers in a few months. Will probably put a chocolate and candy cane in them. Way too much fun.

felted bag, karin slaughter, dahmer book bag, knitted, knitting, fun, knitting contest

So - I have about 27 rows knitted on the bag . . . you know, THAT bag . . . the one that Lessa is lusting after?

Picked up a new pair of size 13 needles this afternoon - as well as the final colors needed for the dagger. Yay! Onward I go. It should work up quickly because it is knitted using two strands of yarn. That should also mean that the bag will felt up nice and tight, right? Right.

But, yes, Lessa - you won’t be getting it until Christmas. I might just let you hold it - if you’re good. heh. All together now - poor Lessa.

By the way, do click on all of the Lessa’s in order to see what my girl does in all of her spare time.
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A couple of folks just came by - I haven’t seen them in awhile. They are working on a project with hubby, so I likely won’t see them for another while.

But I was sitting and knitting (I havent quite figured out how to walk and knit or drive and knit or . . . yes, facetiousness reigns!) on the bag (yes, THAT bag!) and the fellow asked if I was making him socks - erm, no. But when he left he again remarked on the “socks” I was knitting and told me his size.

Well . . . we will see - maybe, just maybe - after all a gal’s gotta keep her fingers busy, right?

Right!!

felted bag, karin slaughter, watching rachael ray, watching survivor, big brother craze, lessa, knitting, socks

That, of course, is the sound I made as I completed the reading of the latest Harry Potter book, Deathly Hallows today. I didn’t stand in line all night Friday to get my copy just past midnight. Instead my hubby and I did the movie theatre thing (unusual for us except for certain movies - HP, Star Trek, James Bond, to name a few) and took in the late showing. By the time we got out it would have been waaaaaaaaaaaaay too late to drive to the next town over to get my book.

So - we went home - slept in on Saturday - another rare treat for us - and then after breakfast we stopped to pick up my book. Hubby went off to do his thing (I have no clue) while I set in for a read-a-thon.

Slunk off to bed near midnight - and began reading again after church the next morning. Had to do the go to bed early thing Sunday because of the need to be at work Monday. But, after work I finished the last 100 or so pages. Ahhhhhhhhh - a big thumb’s up from this Gramma.

So - what has all that to do with knitting? You might well ask - and I will answer. A quick search of the internet found some neat things for all of you knitters out there to take on:

How about some House socks?
$4 for the pattern - pay via paypal and then download the pdf.

That wasn’t a free pattern - buuuuuuuuuuuuuuutttttttttt - the site DID have a free house scarves pattern with color suggestions for your favorite Hogwarts House.

I have a question for you - what about knitting a Weasley sweater???

or, a Lupin scarf?

Now - if you should live in an area that you deem much too warm for a scarf of such sort - here’s a cute idea for you . . . how about a bookscarf to use to mark your place in the latest book?

Not so much into making your own - but have a costuming need for your next HP function? Try Alivan’s - makers of fine handcrafted magic wands where you’ll find everything from house scarves, sweaters, ties, etc.

The main thing, my friends - is to have fun with it. Enjoy yourself. Remember - it IS only a book.

harry potter, knitting, hogwarts, house scarf, weasley sweater, bookscarf, fun

A few days ago I wrote about Karin Slaughter’s latest contest - and just wanted to update Lessa - who wrote (as I knew she would) that she wanted one of these . . .

I have the black, the blue, and one of the reds now. Just have to find a darker red and the two grays and I am set to start knitting. Oh, and I may have to find another set of size 13 needles, too, but that’s okay.

You are one step closer to becoming the owner of a ghoulish bookbag, my girl. heh

[tags]felted bookbag, karin slaughter, knitting, felting, wool yarn, Lessa, watching survivor, watching rachael ray]/tags]

Knit two together - or in this case, Two knit together.

Long ago - before hubby and I moved to Alaska - so, about 30 years ago now - we lived in Ohio. And, while Alaska winters can be harsh and they last a long time, Ohio winters are very cold as well.

So, hubby and I each began to knit sweaters together - he, knitting one for me and I, knitting one for him. We chose a simple pattern - k2, p2 throughout - because this was his first project ever. And, he worked so very hard on my sweater. Somewhere (this was back in the day - you know, BEFORE digital cameras) we have pictures of us knitting together.

I recall that many of his pictures showed him concentrating madly - sticks held tightly - a slight grimace on his face - and tongue peeking out from between his teeth.

Being a more established knitter, I finished his sweater first - then had to finish my own. He got all of the pieces done, but I sewed the seams and then cast on and knitted the turtleneck/roll collar.

The sweaters came to Alaska with us - and we were grateful to have them in the drafty trailer where we lived the first nine months of our Alaskan life. They also came in very handy whenever we went out on a boat fishing - the wind can be pretty chilly coming off the Cook Inlet waves, let me tell you.

I wish I could tell you where the sweaters are now - I CAN tell you this - neither of us could wear them still. Too many body changes over the years.

But what I do have is many fond memories - of knitting together - and of the joys it brought both of us. That is priceless, my friends. Truly priceless.

and win prizes while you’re at it.

Thanks to Crazy Aunt Purl for the link to Karin Slaughter’s knitting contest.

Make one or both of the chosen projects, complete and submit photos by the deadline (August 20) and be entered to win PRIZES.

Hey, we’re all about the prizes, right? Right.

I think I know a couple of people who might enjoy the Jeffrey Dahmer book bag - it is just plan creepy. Shiver! (of COURSE, I downloaded the pattern - heh)

crazy aunt pearl, karin slaughter, dahmer book bag, bundy knit hat, shiver, knitting, felted bag

Michael Wang - on how to knit

Michael’s got it going on, hasn’t he? I love the credits at the end - a very self assured little entrepreneur, I’m thinking.

He has several other videos - you can even learn to draw a monkey!

Congratulations, Michael Wang! I look forward to your first feature length film.

As for me and the current projects . . . I have a dishcloth on needles now for a friend’s upcoming birthday. Is that too hokey? Good thing she loves me -

Have to mail off the small mini socks soon. Have 15 or so to send. Have been also making Christmas colors into mini socks for my coworkers. I’ve got 6 or 7 finished. We have 25 employees in our organization. I think I’ll make it by Christmas.

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So, I promised to share my Boob-haha goodies with you - swag, good and proper swag, my friends.

I lost out on two gorgeous skeins of yarn . . . but was thrilled to get:

the lime green and purple stripey purse crafted by Angie of Fluid Pudding!

annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnndddddddddddddddd. . .

the framed print of the Hope Lives photograph by Julie Zimmerman.

Woot! and Double Woot!Woot! I am beyond tickled pink, friends. My donation is in memory of my Aunt Mickey who died in 1972 and my cousin Marsha who died a few years ago. Both were cut down by this awful disease.

I am happy to help fund the effort to find the cure. AND - it’s not too late for YOU to help. You can go on over to Wendy’s 3Day site and make a donation - if she hits her goal, she has promised to shave her hair. Robin has already promised to dye her hair bright pink because of the money raised so far.

Life goes on - the search for the cure goes on - many of our sisters, mothers, aunts, cousins, friends, BROTHERS (men also get breast cancer) are not able to go on. They succumb. Won’t you join me in helping to find the cure so no more of our loved ones will have to die?

thanks -

boob-haha, breast cancer, run for the cure, 3 day, knitting, felted bag, hope lives, julie zimmerman, fluid pudding

I WON a couple of the items from Boob-Haha! Yay, Me. I will tell you more about that tomorrow.

in the meantime . . .

Lessa over at Watching Survivor tells the tale of a Big Brother contestant’s daughter’s (Rebekah) need for our help now. Go on over there and read all about it.

The Survivor link? Comes in when one of the contestants offers some of his swag to help the little one. So - go on over there now . . . I’ll still be here when you get back.

Be sure to check tomorrow for info on just what did barbara of knitting passion get for her dollars? heh.

boob-haha, watching survivor, survivor, Big Brother, Rebekah, brain tumor, swag

Oh, my! These are some gorgeous skeins of yarn, my friends!

Made from the trimmed ends of silk after saris are woven, this yarn is really lovely. It’s all free trade - and spun by a women’s collective group in Nepal.

Do go and salivate . . . Recycled Silk Yarn

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as of last report I still am winning three of the four items I bid on over at Boob-ha-ha. Are YOU winning your chosen piece???

Boob-HaHa
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knitting, boob-haha, charity, auction, recycled silk yarn, Nepak, women’s collective, sari

A short while ago I wrote much about the Hokie Healing Squares being gathered up by the folks at Mosaic Yarn Shop. I knitted and sent several squares for the 32 planned blankets - mine were but a tear drop in the bucket of squares.

The first 32 blankets were sewn together and then displayed for all to see.

Here is the story of how one of those blankets found its home:

from Skein Cocaine:
They finally decided on one and she and I got on opposite ends of it and folded it up. I handed it to her. We hugged. And she didn’t let go. She collapsed into intense sobbing as I held her. I’ve never felt such sadness pour into my heart. She held on and cried for a good 2 minutes before she let go. I hugged the tearful Father, not much older than me, his eyes were so weary. They thanked me, turned and left. I have to be honest, I’m changed. I don’t know how yet, but I’ll never be the same.

I think a lot of people were changed when they took part in knitting or crocheting and then sewing the squares for the blankets. Way up here in Alaska, I have to be honest, I did not know anything about Virginia Tech before all this happened. In some small way I feel like I am now part of that bigger VT family.

so, there is only one thing left to say:

Go Hokies!

hokies, hokie healing squares, 8 inch squares, knitting, virginia tech, go hokies